2020 started with a bang for Passion for Spices™ team with corporate teambuilding, cooking classes, and private events filling our schedules. In early March, as the pandemic hit, projects started to collapse and the wave of uncertainty was felt at Passion for Spices™ just like all other businesses.

We are very proud of our Passion for Spices™ team, who continued to work during this pandemic, and sustained our business. For 2023, we have a plan to expand our business into a nationwide and international cooking school. This is a silver lining in these pandemic times!

We were able to accomplish a lot in spite of the pandemic, but it was disappointing that we were not able to do some of our normal community projects like our Annual Christmas Cookie Baking Event. We hope to resume these projects as the pandemic comes to an end.

We handpicked classic breads from around the world, and organized recipes that families could cook at home. We showcased the techniques through illustrations to make it easier to go through the cooking process.

All the recipes are curated for ease of use, authentic taste, and fun ideas to cook at home.

To see our Classic Breads from Around the World blogs, click here.

In another Virtual Kitchen series, our blogs showcased spices for families to cook with at home. We handpicked spices that are familiar to families, and emphasized the health benefits of the spices.

During this pandemic time, we wanted to focus on the importance of cooking fresh and wholesome ingredients while incorporating anti-inflammatory ingredients like spices.

To see our Spice Up Your Pantry blogs, click here.

Summer Cooking Camp Highlights

We had a successful launch of our hybrid Summer Cooking Camp 2020, where we had a combination of kids cooking virtually at home, and in-person at the same time. We also had a Fall and Winter Virtual After School Program, where the kids cooked at home with food ingredients that Passion for Spices™ provided.

At Passion for Spices™ Cooking School our most popular program is the “Farm to Table” week. Especially during the pandemic, parents were interested in having an outdoor experience where kids can enjoy nature and gain culinary experience. This program was appreciated by our camp family members, since it was a great opportunity to mingle with fellow young chefs in an open space where we followed COVID-19 guidelines.

The final day of the Farm to Table week was a harvest feast, where all the families came and celebrated with the young chefs. Everyone was happy to have an outdoor farm to table experience. The kids loved the farm animals, and were sad to leave the new animal friends they made at the farm. Everyone said they can’t wait for next year’s cooking camp!

We are so thankful for all of our team members who helped in running our Annual Around the World Summer Camp. To see the highlights of last year’s Around the World Summer Camp, click here.

In-Person Cooking Classes

Our Adult Cooking Classes are divided into three categories: Mediterranean, Latin, and Asian. Based on season and popularity, we curate different classes with different themes. Some of the popular In-Person Adult Cooking Classes included Taste of Morocco, Beer and Gourmet Bites, Taste of Thai, and Classic Indian Made Easy. Above are some highlights from our Taste of Morocco class which happened before the pandemic hit.

We are pleased to announce that our In-Person Cooking Classes are available again (subject to COVID-19 protocols). We have added a virtual option to each of these classes for those than want to cook from home. To sign up for our new In-Person classes, click here.

Virtual Cooking School

In light of the pandemic, we opened our Virtual Cooking School which allowed for cooking classes to be conducted over Zoom.

The highlights and memories of our Virtual Cooking School during these pandemic times were noteworthy. For instance, we hosted a 60th birthday party with our Taste of Tuscany class, and there were four groups of family members cooking at different locations, including a couple in France. The full course Tuscan feast included chocolate mousse for dessert, and it was such a joyful experience for all!

Corporate Team Building

In early January 2020, before this pandemic hit us, we were hosting Corporate Culinary Team Building events where the teams enjoyed various culinary experiences. In the pictures above, Chef Thor showcased Healthy Weeknight Meals to the sales and marketing team of a major corporation.

Passion for Spices™ Plans for 2021

Cook at Home Program

Virtual Cooking School

In-Person Cooking School

We want to wish everyone a Happy, Healthy, and Safe New Year and we hope that everyone can enjoy more cooking and quality time with their family.

Please enjoy a complimentary holiday menu curated by Passion for Spices Team™ which highlights five spices.

Best Wishes and Happy New Year from the Passion for Spices™ Team.

Apple Brown Betty

Ingredients:

4 slices of white bread, preferably slightly stale, cut int ½ inch cubes

2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch cubes

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup raisins

1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons of apple cider or apple juice

5 tablespoons of butter, melted

Nonstick spray

Sweetened whipped cream for serving

Note: Cinnamon can be substituted with our Kashmiri Garam Masala

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the first 7 ingredients.

3. Line a half sheet pan with aluminum foil. Spay with nonstick spray. Spread the bread mixture evenly in the pan.

4. Bake for 1 hour or until the apples are cooked and the bread cube are lightly browned and starting to be a little bit crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature with the whipped cream.